Luxury Expedition
Le Commandant Charcot - 270 Guests
The Geographic North Pole and the east coast of Greenland
Reykjavík - Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen

In collaboration with an organization renowned for supporting science research, education, and trailblazing expeditions around the world, this unique voyage will feature special guests from The Explorers Club to share onboard lectures, exploration stories, and scientific research throughout your journey.

Push the boundaries of navigation and set sail for 90 degrees North! Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the rare ship capable of rising to this challenge, you will slowly progress into the heart of the ice floe, in search of the Geographic North Pole. Before reaching the Holy Grail of all polar explorers, you will sail along eastern Greenland, its majestic fjords, its Inuit traditions and, perhaps, its Northern Lights. On the way back, Spitsbergen, the isolated kingdom of the polar bears and Europe’s largest ice cap will reveal itself. A rare odyssey, between frozen silence and the untouched grandeur of the boundaries of the world.



 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • A voyage infused with the spirit of discovery, accompanied by special guests from The Explorers Club to share onboard lectures, exploration stories, and scientific research.
  • Discover the landscapes (ice compression ridges, vertiginous walls of ice, glaciers) and the wildlife (opportunities to glimpse or observe polar bears, cetaceans, etc.).
  • Activities: opportunities for outings and shore visits in a rubber dinghy; landings on the ice; kayaking; hiking or snowshoeing; polar plunging; encounters with Inuit communities.

DATES / RATES

Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
Start DateEnd DatePrestige Stateroom
Jul 10, 2027Aug 27, 202746,980
Transfer + Flight Longyearbyen/Paris
For your serenity, PONANT selects a flight and organises the transfer between the port and the airport. This package is included in your cruise fare.

Disembarkation Day - Longyearbyen/Paris

Disembarkation.

Meet and greet at the port by our local English-speaking representative.

Transfer to the airport in time for check-in of flight Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT.

Flight Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT.

Approximate flight duration: 4 h 30.

We highly recommend you stay one night in Paris after this flight.
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
Start DateEnd DatePrestige Stateroom
Jul 10, 2027Aug 27, 202746,980
Transfer + Flight Longyearbyen/Paris
For your serenity, PONANT selects a flight and organises the transfer between the port and the airport. This package is included in your cruise fare.

Disembarkation Day - Longyearbyen/Paris

Disembarkation.

Meet and greet at the port by our local English-speaking representative.

Transfer to the airport in time for check-in of flight Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT.

Flight Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT.

Approximate flight duration: 4 h 30.

We highly recommend you stay one night in Paris after this flight.


ITINERARY

Day 1 : Reykjavík
Iceland’s capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the “Pearl of Reykjavík”, a museum located on ’Oskjuhlið hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush, green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.

Day 2 : At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
Spend exceptional moments sailing aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first luxury polar exploration vessel and the first PC2-class polar cruise ship capable of sailing into the very heart of the ice, on seas and oceans which the frozen conditions render inaccessible to ordinary ships. Le Commandant Charcot is fitted with oceanographic and scientific equipment selected by a committee of experts. Take advantage of the on-board lectures and opportunities for discussion with these specialists to learn more about the poles. Participate in furthering scientific research with PONANT and let us discover together what these fascinating destinations have yet to reveal to us.

Day 3 : Exploring the Blosseville Coast
Aboard your ship, follow in the footsteps of Jules Poret de Blosseville, a French explorer and sailor. In 1833, he set off to discover this isolated and unexplored part of eastern Greenland aboard La Lilloise, an adventure with a fatal outcome. The uninhabited territory that bears his name lies to the south of Scoresby Sound. Surrounded by ice, icebergs and pack ice - thin or thick, flat or pronounced - as far as the eye can see, Blosseville Coast is a wild and distant place to which very few people have access. Exploring it means a slow immersion into the heart of a frozen, almost unreal desert, where the variations in light transform one’s perception of the landscape. In the kingdom of the polar bears, Le Commandant Charcot, a silent ship open to the exterior, will offer exceptional moments observing Arctic wildlife, through a series of encounters.

Day 4-5 : Exploration of Ittoqqortoormiit Region
On the East coast of Greenland, in the Ittoqqortoormiit region that is covered with snow and ice for nine months of the year, you will have the rare opportunity of immersing yourself in the heart of an isolated territory and exploring the beauty of its infinite polar whiteness. The high alpine mountains punctuate the sky and gradually reveal their dark rock edges beneath a coat of snow. Located at the entrance to the longest system of fjords in the world, sits the village of Ittoqqortoormiit, one of the northernmost inhabited places on the East coast. Its name means ‘great house’ in Greenlandic and it is home to the last hunters of the polar region, whose ancestral way of life you will encounter. As soon as the thickness of the ice floe allows it, the hunters set out on the trail of walruses, seals, narwhals, musk oxen and polar bears, travelling by traditional dog sleds. On these expanses of immaculate snow, the silence is broken only by the sounds of the dogs, the grating of a sled coming back from a run or of footsteps on the ice. You will discover Inuit traditions through privileged and festive moments on the ice floe and in the village.

Day 6 : Sailing ice floes along Greenland
The north-east of Greenland is renowned for being home to one of the oldest and thickest layers of ice on the planet. Aboard your ship, you will have the unique opportunity of sailing to the heart of this icy wilderness, many thousands of years old, and will travel along one of the world's most isolated coasts, between drifting ice and blue icebergs.

Day 7-9 : Navigating through the sea ice
Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

Day 10-11 : Geographic North Pole
Defined by a 90° North latitude, the Geographic North Pole lies on the Earth’s rotational axis, at the intersection of all meridians. Plunged into darkness for six months of the year, then lit by the sun for the following six months, this mythical site, permanently covered in ice and remote from any land, has fascinated generations of explorers. So far, only a very few people have ever reached it: an exploit which is now accessible to you aboard Le Commandant Charcot.

Day 12-14 : Navigating through the sea ice
Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

Day 15-17 : North-West region of Spitsbergen
A kingdom of contrasts and natural marvels dotted with islands and peninsulas, northwest Spitsbergen fascinates with its preserved beauty. On these pristine lands, infinity unveils itself, treating the eyes to beauty sculpted by nature and enhanced by the changing light. The fjords bathed by icy waters, the jagged mountains and the imposing glaciers stand majestically before you, like monumental sculptures. In these lands, where souls are filled with deep serenity, only the murmur of broken ice, bearing mysteries and legends, disturbs the calmness. Aboard our Zodiacs and in the company of naturalist-guides, get as close as possible to this unique fauna and discover this centre for scientific expedition departures. In the distance, majestic whales glide silently through the glacial waters, whereas seals, walrus and Arctic foxes add a playful touch of life. As Svalbard reindeer wander the vast expanses, Arctic terns liven up the polar sky with their gracious flight and polar bears, which you may be lucky enough to see, patrol magnificently along the icy shores.

Day 18 : Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard’s main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you’re in completely unexplored territory.

Le Commandant Charcot (Luxury Expedition, 270-guests)

Le Commandant-Charcot welcomes you to an intimate and refined atmosphere. Equipped with just 135 staterooms including 31 suites with balconies and outside views, the ship offers outstanding gastronomy in its two restaurants, relaxation in the indoor pool surrounded by its winter garden, relaxation in the well-being area with sauna and Snow Room... Like on a private yacht, each of our guests is unique.

(Click image to view Ship details)

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • Full board from arrival to departure day
  • High-end gastronomy in all restaurants
  • All beverages in restaurants, bars, and minibars. All drinks are included² (a selection of champagnes, wines and spirits, beers, cocktails, water, soft drinks, hot beverages)
  • 24-hour room service
  • Butler service for certain suites³
  • Unlimited internet access onboard
  • Evening events, shows, and other entertainment
  • Access to the fitness area and hammam or sauna, depending on the ship
  • All port and security charges
² Excluding premium à la carte beverages.
³ Butler service is available for the following suites:
Owner’s Suite, Duplex Suites, Privilege Suites, and Prestige Suites;

Adventure Options:
  • Hiking or snowshoeing
  • Kayaking - Le Commandant Charcot
  • Polar plunge

 

Contact Epic Polar!
We can assist in finding you the right trip, and provide exclusive discounts not advertised on our site. Find out more by completing the form or call toll free USA 1 888 423 4535 or Mobile/WhatsApp +1 604 970 0165
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DISCLAIMER: Rates are per person and subject to change.